The Dead Sea – With salinity of over 34%, this is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world. It is also one of the most popular places for resorts. The salt waters have great healing benefits. The shoreline here is rimmed with salt.

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless” (Matthew 5:13, NLT).

My hand shook as I picked up the fork from the silverware drawer. What? I can’t lift a fork? It felt like I was raising a steel skillet instead of a utensil. I had been weak and dizzy for a week. It started off with the worst headache of my life. No pain medicine touched it. Miserable with throbbing, I remained in bed for four days. Nine days previously, I had started a juice fast, so I figured the headache and faintness came from releasing toxins through fasting.

But now I knew I had to call the doctor. He sent me immediately to the emergency room where a blood test revealed low sodium. All the juicing and fasting had washed away a significant amount of salt in my body. The doctor explained that this condition was serious and could lead to convulsions, hallucinations, even death.

In the ER, I received sodium water intravenously, and the doctor’s parting words were, “You will feel weak and crummy for a few weeks, but go home and enjoy a bag of chips.” A slight smile crossed my face. How ironic, I thought—a doctor prescribing a bag of chips!

Health returned slowly, but recuperating gave me time to ask the Lord why this happened. His reply was sweet, yet direct. “I didn’t cause this, but I’m using it for your good.” My interest piqued; I looked up all verses on becoming salt and light to the world.

Then the Lord said, “You have lost your saltiness.”

I knew it was true. It had been a long time since I witnessed to anyone about salvation and the life-transforming power of Jesus’ blood. I just got busy and felt that because I serve as a missionary and church leader, I am doing my part interceding, traveling, counseling, and teaching.

I repented of my lack saltiness, and this life lesson showed me that it is possible to die not just physically but spiritually if I don’t actively maintain my sodium levels. Scripture declares: “Taste and see that the Lord is good!” My sprinkling of the salt of the Gospel to those around me is what makes people hungry and thirsty to know His love and goodness.

As I grew stronger physically, I grew bolder in my witness. I talked to everyone, just like I did when I first knew His saving power. Sometimes, I kept people waiting in line while I spoke to the cashier at Target. A deep abiding joy returned to my life as I shared my faith and hope for living.

Prayerfully Consider

What’s your salt level? It’s important. Now I watch my physical and spiritual sodium intake regularly. Death by low salt is miserable, and I refuse to go down that pathway again. I know well that I have freely received salvation and I freely long to pay it forward.

“Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;’” (Isaiah 6:2-3 KJV).

Seraphim means “the burning ones” in Hebrew. When I learned this, I wondered if their angelic bodies radiate visible flames, and I was trying to picture fiery angels with six wings crying out, “Holy, holy, holy!” It gives me goose bumps.

Extending the kingdom of God gives me goose bumps too, and I relish considering what mark I will leave when I’m gone. As a pastor’s wife and minister, I think leaving lasting fruit is my first thought. But when I pondered this, I discovered the most poignant, life-enduring moments have not been found in the work of the ministry, rather in the sacrifices of prayer and worship. I would like to be remembered on earth and known in heaven as one who burned with love for Jesus, as John the beloved disciple.

Considering passionate worship, I have spent days meditating on Isaiah 6. I am moved to tears when I consider the seraphim. They burn with love for God, and this is their profound expression before Him—burning and sacrifice.

They have six wings. I am sure they could fly to the moon with those magnificent, mighty, and strong arms of flight. But when they are in the presence of a holy God, they use two wings to cover their faces and two wings to cover their feet in humility. Their remaining two wings are used to fly about and declare, “Holy, holy is the Lord God almighty”—only two wings to fly when they could use six? Wow!

Those burning angels yearn to make a sacrifice to God. They don’t give a tenth, rather two-thirds of their assets as they worship in His temple.

Make Your Mark in the Kingdom

If you read the whole chapter of Isaiah 6, the men and women who hear and see this are changed forever. They begin to repent of sin and beg for cleansing. The angels take hot coals from the altar to purge the uncleanness. And the only response from Isaiah, the prophet was, “Send me!” He knew the rest of the world must see and hear and experience what has been revealed in the presence of God.

Worship leads us to all other forms of ministry in the kingdom. It’s the first place to make a mark for eternity. I am taking a lesson from the seraphim — the burning ones — who know something about God I don’t.

]]>https://bonniewilks.com/2018/01/31/making-your-mark-in-the-kingdom/feed/0bonyaBack CameraFive Purposes of Prophecyhttps://bonniewilks.com/2018/01/22/five-purpose-of-prophecy/
https://bonniewilks.com/2018/01/22/five-purpose-of-prophecy/#respondMon, 22 Jan 2018 16:55:40 +0000http://bonniewilks.com/?p=9988More Five Purposes of Prophecy]]>In this post-modern world and sadly in the Church one of the first big hurdles to leap when speaking of the prophetic is the strong disbelief that God still uses the prophet and the prophetic message. The second hurdle is that Christians can all prophesy. Let’s take a look.

The gift of prophecy is one of the most useful tools or gifts and one of the most misunderstood in the congregation. The Hebrew word for prophet is navi and in its feminine form, naviah. The basic root means to “bubble up or pour forth like a fountain.” I love that! If you have ever witnessed a prophecy in the middle of a worship service that was delivered in the anointing of the Holy Spirit, then you saw and felt the “bubbling of up” of God’s message to mankind. It derives from the heart of a man or woman who has learned to lean into Him to hear His words for the moment and deliver them with power and confidence.

The prophetic words brings new light and life. It restores hope. It testifies of the love and constancy of Jesus in your life. It shows you are not forgotten or set aside. A prophetic word can be like a shot of Vitamin B that strengthens your faith as you pursue your dreams.

Throughout Scripture both men and women prophesied. Both Aaron and Moses were declared prophets (Exodus 7:1). Miriam is the first prophetess mentioned in the Bible leading the women in song and dance before the Lord (Exodus 15:20). And many others in both Old and New Covenants spoke God’s word including Deborah, King David, Samuel, Huldah, Elizabeth, Miriam, Philip, and Paul. I encourage you to read how God used prophets in scripture. It will boost your faith if you have held reservations or despised the use of the prophetic.

With that said, yes, there are imposters and false prophetic words, but here are some guidelines to help you discern what is from God, from the human mind, or from the devil or evil spirits warring against the success of your spiritual walk.

1) Do not quench or despise the prophetic

“Quench not the Spirit, despise not prophecies. Examine all things. Firmly hold onto what is good” (I Thessalonians 5:19-21).

Christians find themselves in one of two camps—those that stop the flow of the Spirit and disallow the prophetic word or those that accept and allow all of it. My experience tells me to search the scriptures for yourself and discover where you fall and why. Also it is important to hear the testimonies of those who have been profoundly impacted by the prophetic; it boosts your faith.

I so believe God can give specific directional words to some prophets, and these kinds of messages “wow” the congregation and can be very helpful to the Body of Messiah. But I believe this is rare and for specific purposes. When using your gift, stick to the basic three purposes. If you feel, the Holy Spirit is giving you a specific word for someone who is directional, submit it to leadership before delivering.All prophetic words

3) Prophecies are to be judged by congregational leadership and other prophets.

“Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment” (I Corinthians 14:29).

*The prophetic word must not be contrary to God’s Word or the heart of the Father.

*You must bear witness in your spirit even if you do not fully understand it with your mind.

*The word must draw you closer to God and His purposes.

*Church leadership must be in agreement with the prophet word.

*You need the Holy Spirit to help you understand the meaning of prophetic words.

4) Prophecy is desired more than the other gifts.

“Pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy” (I Corinthians 14:1).

I believe this is so because it has the power to encourage, edify, and exhort more than other gifts. The enemy of our souls hates this gift and. of course, would try to stop it.

5) All can prophesy.

“So then brothers, seek to prophesy” (I Corinthians 14:39).

The book of Corinthians lists prophecy as the third of nine gifts, so there is a specific gift of delivering God’s messages given to some. Yet Paul says here, “Seek to prophesy.” This gift can be developed as well. Every believer has the desire to exhort, encourage, and comfort others. One way to do this is to learn to speak prophetically to each other.

If you have never received a prophetic word for someone else, then ask the Lord to give you one. It won’t come with thunder and lightning all the time, in fact mostly not. It will come in a still and peaceful voice in your heart or mind. It will correlate with scripture and bring comfort and hope. It may come as a mental picture or a single word, a verse, a scripture, vision, dream, or an impression.

Don’t try to interpret it. That is not your job—just speak what you see or hear in faith. You are a messenger. And it is not your fault or even business if your word is not heard, received, or acted upon. You obeyed God to deliver.

Scripture says we prophesy according to our faith (Romans 12:6-8). You have the faith to encourage, edify, exhort, and comfort others. This is simply operating in the prophetic. As you use this gift, it will grow with the vast potential of blessing others.

If you have received a prophetic word from someone, you know how to test or judge it now. Submit it to someone in leadership if you are troubled by it or desire someone to agree with you on it. Guidance and agreement help tremendously as you learn to discern.

It is also very important to note that prophetic words must be nurtured and prayed over. They don’t come to life in a sterile environment. You must take action. I once prophesied over several young women that they would go to the nations and share the Good News. Less than one year later, these women called me back to their group and stated I was a false prophet because none of them had gone to the other nations. I was stunned. Of course, I told them immediately that I could have missed God for their lives. I took the humble road. However, this word was and is in accordance with scripture. The Gospel commands all of us to “go into all the world and make disciples.” Some are graced more than others, but we are all called to participate in some way.

Years later, as I ran into to each of these women, I asked had they checked out any opportunities to take short-term trips that would help them fulfill this prophetic word? Had they started to learn a language of a country they might want to travel to? Had they asked God for specific ways to fulfill this word according to their desires? Had they actively prayed for open doors and sought opportunities in other countries? They had no answer.

If you receive and believe a prophetic word for you, then you MUST act on it. If a prophet sees you preaching in a church, maybe you should consider Bible school. If you hear a word that you should reach out to the poor, then find a ministry the reaches the poor and become active, etc.

We must pray and move in some way on prophetic words otherwise they get stale and dusty on the shelf. If a prophetic word hasn’t happend in your life yet, maybe you haven’t pursued it. Or it could be that God’s purposes and timing still haven’t been fulfilled. If you believe it to be true, do all you can to prepare yourself and step out to make it happen. Then keep praying over it and waiting in faith.

]]>https://bonniewilks.com/2018/01/22/five-purpose-of-prophecy/feed/0bonyaDSC_0002_2Four Myths about Mentoringhttps://bonniewilks.com/2018/01/06/four-myths-about-mentoring/
https://bonniewilks.com/2018/01/06/four-myths-about-mentoring/#commentsSat, 06 Jan 2018 19:22:27 +0000http://bonniewilks.com/?p=9977More Four Myths about Mentoring]]>I have heard younger women say frequently and regrettably that they never had an older woman to mentor them. This made me sad, and as I began to meditate on this disappointment that arose in conversation too often, one thought kept returning. Most people, not just women, have had plenty of mentors in life; but there has never been intentional or ceremonial mentoring. The absence of clarity or intentionality causes young women to feel a lack or overlooked in this area.

Mentoring takes place in life, but it is not always in the way we dream. Some of my best inspirational leaders were completely unintentional. I admired something about an older woman and drew close to learn. Without her knowing or noticing, I leaned in, observed, listened intently, mentally took notes, threw myself in her pathway, and soaked it in. I also became grateful and let go of the idea that I had never been mentored. I had. Although it didn’t happen in the magnanimous way I desire, it happened. I had gleaned and grew spiritually from many yielded lives by just being alert and watchful.

This mentoring-fail story is sort of humorous and sad at once, but I learned something valuable about being equipped. Once I purposely approached an older woman and asked her to mentor me, and she said yes. She looked shocked, but she said yes. Then it got really weird, and she started avoiding me. Eventually our relationship became strained and sadly non-existent.

She wasn’t ready for the commitment, or I asked the wrong person. I just don’t know, but I chose not to be offended. To this day, I have the greatest admiration for her life and walk with God. In retrospect, I did learn from her in the disciplines of life both spiritually and day-to-day by observation and just flat-out copying her as she followed Christ. So that “asking to be mentored” adventure didn’t pan-out for me in the ceremonially way, but I learned from her life in spite of the awkwardness. I am so grateful for her life to this day!

But the more I thought about the need to be mentored, I began to seek the Lord in earnest. The complaint of many young women about the lack of mentoring rang in my ears, and this is the gem the Holy Spirit dropped in my heart.

As I closed my eyes to pray, I saw Jesus with His disciples at the Passover table. I saw John, called the beloved, leaning on Jesus breast. And the Lord asked me, “Why did John lean on Me?” I thought for a minute and heard another question, “Did I invite John because he was more gifted or anointed?” I answered no, I don’t think so. Another question, “Do you think John knew that it was permissible to lean on Me because of the intimacy of our relationship?”

This was such a revelation and brought tears to my eyes. I knew Jesus chose John, but didn’t realize John chose Jesus in a more tender and close way than all the others. That is why he was called beloved!

We won’t know until heaven how John and our Master became this close, but I saw for the first time that perhaps their relationship was precious above the others because John pursued Him. I had always believed Jesus pursued John — of course he did originally — but later, maybe they became fast friends because John made sure it happened. John took him seriously, made sure he got a seat close by, expressed his love and appreciation, and listened. Maybe John loved Jesus more than the others and unashamedly showed it.

I don’t about you, but I appreciate when I am around people who show love and affection to me. I want to be with them above all others. So did Jesus.

The lesson that I see is if you want to be mentored, go after your mentor. Don’t wait to be acknowledged for your calling, gifting, anointing, or experience. We all don’t have the same calling or giftings, but all have the same ability to draw near to someone older — even if it is not ceremonial or official. And I would also add, draw close to several more experienced women, not just one. It exponentially increases your knowledge, maturity, and spiritual revelation.

At the same time intentional, mentoring is very valuable. If you are blessed to be involved in a relationship then take full advantage. It is a God-given design. In our current mentoring group, here are three goals we look to accomplish this year.

1) To fulfill the admonishment that older women teach younger women

“Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.” (Titus 2:3-5)

Just as younger women need to be trained, so do older. They must be taught to fulfill God’s in this way. As a leader and older woman, I am instructed by scripture to teach what is good, to love husbands and children, to live wisely and purely, to love the home, do good and to obey husbands. These are the virtues on which we will concentrate as a group as they apply to each of our lives and stories as we walk together for this year.

2) To encourage and edify each other

“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing” (I Thessalonians 5:11).

Even as we are mentored by someone older, we never forget about our responsibilities to each other. Each in the mentoring group will have a turn to tell her story, and we all will listen and give encouragement and words of affirmation for the journey. We will weep and rejoice with our sisters’ wins and losses.

3) To be formed into the image of Christ– specifically in this group we are looking at how brokenness shapes His form in our lives and reveals Messiah’s glory and power to the world.

“So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord–who is the Spirit–makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

“When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight” (Luke 24:30-31).

Lastly, we will examine the brokenness of our lives and how God can heal and use the low places to reveal Jesus to a hurting world.

The world’s message to women is to be strong, equal to men, mighty, and brave. This is good, but the part that is missing is that we shine when we are broken before a loving God. That Jesus is revealed in our weakness. Then and only then are we strong!

Conclusion

The first myth about mentoring is that maybe you feel like you have never been mentored, but you have! All have been mentored in some way. Acknowledge and develop a heart of gratitude toward those that have invested in your life, knowingly or unknowingly. Go and thank each for her contribution. Seriously. Write letters of gratitude to the people who have influenced your life. Just express how others have allowed you to grow in some way. This may take some time, so make it a lifestyle.

The second myth about mentoring is that intentionality or ceremony must exist for mentoring to be valid. Recognize the great influences you have around you, and realize it is a form of mentoring. Release feelings of being unacknowledged or untrained in the way you had dreamed. God will never disappoint. He is always behind the scenes working for your good.

The third myth about mentoring is you must wait for a leader to acknowledge you to be mentored. You can do the asking. If you admire someone’s walk, then risk and ask. If they don’t follow through (like mine!), still glean from her life and remain grateful. Then ask someone else. If that doesn’t work out, then release it and keep gleaning gratefully from the lives of others.

The fourth myth about mentoring is that one mentor holds all the answers for your journey. Scriptures say in Proverbs 11:4, “There is safety in a multitude of counselors.” Even if you have one person mentoring you, she cannot bear the load of responsiblity for your life alone. Branch out. You will be so glad you did.

Years ago, syndicated advice columnist, Ann Landers offered guidance for free to Americans needing some third-party insight into famial and social problems. And she became a legend in her day — a cultural icon — synonymous with modern-day social experts like Dr. Phil or Dr. Laura. Her popularity grew because her readers applied her suggestions and discovered what she proffered was deeper than just “good advice” but really wisdom in day-to-day matters.

I remember reading one of her sound suggestions years ago: “Give a compliment. It will provide someone with a badly needed lift.” Immediately, I embraced those words and wanted to practice them.

The reason was simple: Compliments have impacted and encouraged me, so I wanted to do the same for others. In truth, it really jazzed me to consider that I possess the power to lift someone’s load — to change the complexion of a day for a friend.

Through that piece of good advice, I started pondering the whole idea of complimenting. It really is Christ-like; it’s what the Bible calls giving encouragement — exhorting, blessing, or breathing hope into a person for something they have achieved or done well, for good character and making right choices, even for how he or she looks or dresses. The reasons to bless another sincerely with our words are boundless.

Later, I stumbled upon a paper written by three college professors for the Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, titled: “Withholding Compliments in Everyday Life and the Covert Management of Disaffiliation.” That’s fancy words for “withholding compliments in everyday life and the undercover handling of the strained relationships it causes.”

Wow! Relationships become strained by withholding compliments. It is a big enough deal that three professors studied and wrote about it.

It begins: “A compliment can readily enhance face and affiliation. Thus the decision to withhold a deserved compliment contrasts with the fact that in everyday interactions, participants strive for the promotion and maintenance of face and affiliation.”

In other words: Compliments quickly boost a person’s sense of personal worth and strengthens relationships. The decision to withhold a deserved compliment diminishes sense of personal worth and the relations around you.

I read another study as well that said that if a boss gives a compliment to an employee publicly, it is as valuable as giving him a raise.

That says it all. A word of sincere encouragement publicly is worth its weight in gold… so why do we withhold compliments — publicly or privately?

The study by the three professors conducted a test to gather information. They asked a number of people to write down instances when they personally withheld compliments from others and why. They were not to manipulate or force the happening in any way, just take note of it and recreate it on paper.

They were also to write down instances when they suspected others withheld compliments from them. The situations themselves were fascinating to read. Here’s a few:

Situation: Teaching a class. Having finished a lesson, there was an opportunity for class participation/discussion. Numerous students offered opinions and/or questions. I was particularly impressed with the observations made by the fifth student to comment. I wanted to respond to this student’s observations by praising their insightfulness. However, I withheld the praise I was feeling because I thought that it might make the other students who had previously commented feel bad–in comparison, which might undermine their morale. What praise I gave this exceptional student was minimal and did not contrast from the remarks I made to the other students. In this case, the teacher withheld a compliment in order not to demoralize other students who were working on the same project.

I work at a job that is very intense where you have to interview people on a constant basis. An applicant came in that was 23 years old with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, a Bachelor of Science in Applied Math from Yale University and will be graduating in August from USC with a Master of Arts in Industrial Economic Production. I usually commend all of my applicants on there [sic] educational achievements. I felt so envious of him because I have not achieved as much as he has. I did not say anything because it hurt so much. This person admits that he did not compliment because he was jealous of the other person’s achievements.

A friend and myself went out to dinner. She had lost weight and looked really slim. I didn’t compliment her because I felt overweight.

Here is another instance of jealousy.

My roommates and I planned a Valentine Dinner for our boyfriends but we did not organize our plans nor decide who was in charge. We did not put out much effort, except for Sharon who did all the work. She purchased the groceries, cooked and decorated the apartment herself…That evening when we arrived everything was ready. We were all shocked and amazed, but no one really said anything to Sharon. I believe the reason for not bringing up the subject was because we were all embarrassed that Sharon had done all the work for us.

The people here withheld praise because they were embarrassed by the hard work and gift of another. In their minds, they compared themselves to the giver and came up short, so they did not offer a compliment.

A friend and I went out to lunch. I had just gotten my hair done and felt rather confident that it looked nice. My friend asked me if I had gotten a haircut, but that was all she said. I believe she did not compliment me because her hair did not look as nice.
This person did not like the person’s haircut, so withheld a compliment.

I withheld a compliment from a fellow musician with whom I was performing. He was playing very well, but I said nothing to him. I have complimented him many times in the past, but I think that I held back on this occasion because he’s a bit conceited and brags about himself sometimes. I guess I didn’t feel like feeding his ego that night.
Praise was held back because of the pride of another.

I was given an assignment recently that had a ridiculous deadline. The assignment involved intense research and analysis…I dove into the assignment as if my life depended on it…After hours of work (and unpaid overtime),I finished and placed the work on my supervisor’s desk before the deadline…That was one week ago. To this day, I have not heard one compliment…
After gathering all the data, they came up with two reasons why people withhold compliments:

1) competitive situations

2) critical sentiments

I can identify with all of these situations. I have been the person that has withheld rightful praise and the person that has not received it either. The situations are different but the reasons boil down to jealousy, pride, wanting to make others feel less, comparisons, and control.

The study concludes with the notion that this is a problem in society; but because of its delicate nature, no one will bring it up. Therefore, it cannot be corrected. It is not acceptable to demand your own praise or to praise yourself. If a person does, then he/she risks not being praised in the future. This is a cultural behavior for which people remain unaccountable and do suffer in secret. It is just too touchy to broach the subject.

I found this fascinating.

I have tried to analyze why I may hold my tongue when praise is due. I find it easy to liberally praise my husband and daughter. Maybe too much. Is there such a thing as too much praise? For certain people, I can pile on the compliments no matter what they have done or how they have acted — no matter what they will do in the future. I am rooting them on and on. Praise falls off my lips, because I love that person and accept him unconditionally.

I believe the injustices of life keep us from praising when we should. It is futile to endeavor to even the score on life’s injustices, large or small, by withholding a compliment. Even believers sometimes feel ripped off in some ways in this life, so why should we honor another or acknowledge the blessings or giftings of others?

We mistakenly feel that our acknowledgment of their goodness or beauty or achievement or character diminishes who we are.

But listen to this: “Encourage each other every day while you have the opportunity. If you do this, none of you will be deceived by sin and become stubborn” [Hebrew 3:13].

As believers, we must be accountable to others and God. We are to encourage or compliment the journey of each other DAILY, or we run the risk of becoming deceived by sin and stubborn. This shows how important it is to bless our family, friends, and acquaintances on life’s journey.

Society at large may be unaccountable for withholding praise, but as believers we are not. The Bible is clear, if we do not encourage one another daily there will be those who become deceived and stubborn. So we are accountable in reality. We just can’t let each other down.

I have found that being liberal with praise helps knock off the sharp edges of selfishness, jealousy, and pride — it breaks the Devil’s back on the hold of these sins. There are times when I want to withhold compliments for pure jealousy and nothing else. If I break through to genuine praise, it opens my heart to others and to God. And it is amazing, it is possible to find many things to sincerely praise in others — in my enemies even.

Life and death are in the power of the tongue. My words can bring healing and hope on the simplest level from noticing a haircut to becoming a Ph.D. to being a firefighter during 9/11. The accomplishments, efforts, generosity, and actions of others are vast. They deserve praise.

Expressing sincere praise is the smallest of efforts compared to the selflessness of Jesus, who gave all.

]]>https://bonniewilks.com/2017/11/07/breaking-the-devils-back-on-jealousy/feed/1bonyaemoji-me-face-makerBreak the Devil’s Back on Sexual Harassment and Abusehttps://bonniewilks.com/2017/10/24/break-the-devils-back-on-sexual-harassment-and-abuse/
https://bonniewilks.com/2017/10/24/break-the-devils-back-on-sexual-harassment-and-abuse/#commentsTue, 24 Oct 2017 14:00:44 +0000http://bonniewilks.com/?p=9868More Break the Devil’s Back on Sexual Harassment and Abuse]]>

I am starting a new blog series titled, “Break the Devil’s Back on…” I will give personal and biblical examples of challenging situations that we face in life and offer the tools needed to break the evil power of the situation that holds us captive. Some stay in horrific circumstances because they just don’t have the know-how or hope to rise above. You can change the course of your life. The first post here is how to rise above sexual harassment and abuse.

A few years ago, uhh, quite a few years ago, I was trying to lose a few pounds by running. I mapped out and followed a trail that sent me by a construction working crew. I chose that path because it was flat and smooth, and I could run along unimpeded and build up some steam. I did, in fact, lose some pounds and cleared the cobwebs from my brain as well.

Everyday I passed the large construction site, a myriad of workers whistled, cat called, and hollered at me. Believe me those men howled like wolves at anything remotely female… and I am almost certain most of them needed glasses! Soon I dreaded passing them, so I decided to change the atmosphere.

The next day when the guys started howling, I came to a screeching halt right in front of them, raised my hands to heaven, and I yelled out, “Believe on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved!” You could have heard a pin drop on that construction site; the workers stopped their labor, fell silent, and then started clapping and cheering me. I was shocked but so happy!

Everyday after that instead of waiting for them to start whistling, I yelled first, “Believe on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved!” One man echoed the verse back to me, word-for-word with strength and conviction! I kept yelling that Scripture to the men as I passed, and someone always yelled it back. And the men always clapped.

It totally changed the atmosphere! I grew to love running by the site. Now in full disclosure, some of the men were workers from Mexico and may not have fully understood English. Which makes my point stronger! Even in not understanding, they responded to the lovely, beautiful, and strong name of Jesus when it was spoken and honored. Maybe they didn’t know why, but something different happened when that name was introduced into the situation.

I did the same thing a number of years ago whenever I would get a prank call. in those days, obscene calls were somewhat common–no caller Ids or dial-back numbers were available. I would say to every obscene caller, “Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior,” what about you?

I engaged several of them in conversation about the pain of their lives; others slammed the phone down angrily, and one or two became even more vile. This confession of my faith changed the atmosphere of the dark defilement of a filthy call and shone light for a minute into the heart of the hurting caller. It gave me the opportunity to turn something ugly into something sweet. I will never forget the desperation of a couple of those men I spoke to. They candidly confessed their problems and asked for prayer.

For the past few days, someone I don’t know has been texting me about a gay-pride march in Ft. Worth and Halloween… I think they chose my number at random or misdialed, but then were trying to pull me into conversing. When I confessed that Jesus was my Lord and Savior, the texting stopped.

I believe with great conviction that speaking the name of Jesus into the atmosphere changes things; and most importantly, it changes people. Sexual harassment and abuse is rampant in our culture. Now is a unique time in society across the country because victims are speaking out and perpetraters are being discovered. I fear that there is more that will come to light since predators like the Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein have met the public’s eye.

I encourage any believer who finds themselves in a situation like this to speak the name of Jesus in some way. God will give you the right words for the moment. Something will come to mind that will break the devil’s back and weaken the grip of the intentions of the evildoer. Calling on His name for help is not a charm that magically works, it is real help with heavenly power that rescures. Psalm 46:1 says that “God is a very present help in the time of trouble,” and Psalm 50:15 says, “Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.” These promises are useful tools in any circumstance.

Because we live in a fallen world, and Satan roams about seeking to devour us, sometimes evil things happen to very goood people. One of my heroines Helen Roseveare, medical missionary and doctor in the the Congo in the 1950-60s, lived in a leprosy camp for a time and subsequently built several hospitals, always sharing the Gospel as she worked. In 1966, she was captured and held prisoner by rebel forces for five months. Repeatedly beaten and raped, she called out to Jesus, “Why?” “Haven’t I served you faithfully?” At that moment, God was silent. She was later released and helped by locals — the very people in the Congo whom she had loved and helped. After returning to Ireland, she wrote books and traveled the world speaking of God’s faithfulness in darkness. She never had an answer for why. She did have a strong testimony of how she received grace to endure, to forgive her perpatrators, and to press on in hope.

L like Helen Roseveare, can’t offer a simple answer to why things like this happen. I only know God’s grace saw her through, and offered real hope the rest of her life in her message that God’s love never fails. She chose to take this evil circumstance and turn it for good.

Currently I am amazed at the #metoo social media movement. It seems that some believers are distancing themselves from this occurance, and I don’t understand why. This is a prime opportunity to hear and encourage people’s stories, weep with them, and point them to the strong and healing name of Jesus.

There is help if you have experienced sexual harrassment or abuse — male or female. Call on the name of Jesus to change the atmosphere and keep calling. If you are trapped in a situation, keep saying that name in faith and hope and ask for a way of escape. It will come. Tell someone your story. That will bring immediate relief to the pressure that has been building. Seek professional help from a counselor and pastor. Some knots in life, you need help untangling. You will be glad you broke the devil’s back!

“If you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin. But if you refrain from vowing, you will not be guilty of sin. You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth” (Deuteronomy 23:21-23).

Everyone does it. At some point in life, you swear that you will never…fill in the blank…do that again, wait that long, get treated that badly, react that way…the list goes on. There are other things we swear to as well—good things that we believe will help us like, “God if you do such and such, I will stop smoking or stop stealing or stop cheating or stop treating my kids that way…”

As a teenager, I made a rash vow to never wear make-up. Its seems so trivial now, but I did it with the sincerest motive. I desired God with all my heart, and it seemed a small offering to show my devotion. About a year later, I took a part in a play and was required to wear stage make-up. I felt so guilty for breaking my vow, almost tormented. I spoke to my mother about it, and she said that God knew my heart was right when I promised something that may become a burden to me as an adult. So as a young lady, I went straight to the Lord and asked Him to forgive my rash vow and release me. I remember the joy and light heart that resulted because of that prayer.

Later in life, I made inner vows that were more harmful to my personal life like promising myself not to forgive someone for hurting me. As I matured in my walk with the Lord, I grew to understand these words were powerful, like chains that held me back from fruitfulness and happiness in other areas of my life. Now I regularly ask the Lord to shine a light on my words to keep the hold of negative words from pulling my life in the wrong direction.

There is an interesting custom in Judaism surrounding the month of Elul, which precedes the Days of Awe and the High Holy Days. It is called HaTarat Nedarim or “Annulling Personal Vows.” This month is a time of introspection for Jews around the world. They are meditating and pondering on shortcomings and making restitution, hoping their good works outweigh their bad. They hope their sins will be absolved on Yom Kippur. Rash or harmful personal vows can become part of the introspection.

On the evening of the Jewish New Year of Rosh HaShanah, some engage in the ritual of HaTarat Nedarim. They find three people who also want to be released from harmful personal vows, and they confess the rash promises of the past to each other. One person then declares in the presence of the three others that they have been forgiven and released.

When I first read about this Jewish tradition, my heart leaped because I could see a refelction of the admonishment that James gives us in the New Covenant:

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16).

Confession to others is good for the heart. Not only is it humbling, but it allows healing to flow. It opens the door. And it makes your prayers more effective. I believe the healing that is available is both for the emotional bruises of life’s disappointments and also physical healing.

Another scripture that I remembered was I John I:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Yeshua or Jesus as He is called in English became the blood offering once and for all so we all can receive release from our shortcomings like rash vows or harmful inner vows of unforgiveness or hate. He is the Jewish Messiah, and those who believe in Him by making confession receive a clean slate.

There is such beauty and richness in Jewish traditions, and they are worth contemplation as many augment God’s Word. The month Elul brings opportunity to make things right with God and man in a collective and personal way, and I cherish these shadows of His mighty work on the cross for us.

For more Study…

Mark 1:5; Ecclesiastes 5:4-6; Leviticus 5:4-13

Work it into Daily Life…

Consider joining the Jewish people during the month preceding the High Holy Days and allow the Holy Spirit to shine light into your heart. Ponder the beautiful practice of HaTarat Nedarim but in the light of the New Covenant promises. Ask God to reveal any personal rash or harmful vows that you may have sworn to yourself. Confess to God first, then find someone trustworthy with whom you can confess. Ask for their prayer over your life. Expect healing rivers to flow. Your prayers just grew from mediocre to powerfully effective!

Yesterday’s burdens
weighed you down — too heavy for the long road as they gathered in the corners of your heart. Let the blueness of that wound you bear today become a scouring tide; let
it rise and wash away winter’s broken, brown debris.
Let the tears flow,

let the
shock, anger, and resentment, float to the top of the flood and let the cleansing waters wash it back –out to the vastness of the sea. Let suffering scrub down deep. Let hope soak below your skin, let it fill your nails as you scratch and climb up out of the muddy deluge. Stretch out on the rock called refuge, and let the sun dry your face down to the bones of your heart. Breathe. Expose your wounds and bruises to the sea air. Count your fingers and toes in eternal light, and see what’s left — nothing but living joy and gladness as clean and clear as glass pouring from the water above called heaven.

]]>https://bonniewilks.com/2017/08/31/the-flood/feed/0FullSizeRender(18)bonyaFullSizeRender(18)To Safe Haven Inch-by-Inchhttps://bonniewilks.com/2017/08/30/to-safe-haven-inch-by-inch/
https://bonniewilks.com/2017/08/30/to-safe-haven-inch-by-inch/#commentsWed, 30 Aug 2017 16:14:57 +0000http://bonniewilks.com/?p=9681More To Safe Haven Inch-by-Inch]]>Hurricane Harvey, summer of 2017. We are sick of hearing about it, and we are not. It’s heart wrenching and heartwarming at once. On August 22, the wind howled while the black stormy sky dumped 50 inches of rain in the Houston area. Some heeded warnings and “got of of Dodge” in time, while others stuck it out until the situation escalated to catastrophically urgent. Thousands waited for help. Many lost everything. Some died. It is a sad part of Texas history now. The devastating effects of hurricane Harvey became historically cold and inhumane.

But it brought out the best of humanity. One of my favorite stories is the human chains that people formed to rescue animals, babies, children, the aged. On and on the true-life gritty tales of heroism grew each day. One touching story as reported by ABC was a woman in labor helped when neighbors and firefighters formed a human chain and raised the pregnant mother-to-be above the rising water level from her house to the fire truck.

There’s the story of the elderly man lifted from his flooding house to safety along the lines of a human chain. Many warm and willing hands and arms stretched high above the floodwaters, risking as they held and pushed survivors to safe haven inch-by-inch. The lifters lifted and saved many alive.

While all of this is happening, life goes on in other parts of the state and the world. Last evening, we attendeded a banquet hosted by United Cry 2017, a prayer movement to help bring our country back to repentance and back to the original spiritual roots of Christianity. The main speaker was Rep Michele Bachman. She delivered a fiery message and plea for us to be rescuers in these times of darkness. Her call rang out for repentance and prayer that turns the tide of sin and rebellion.

“All you have to do is turn the television on for one minute on any channel and know that we live in a very different world than we did 30 years ago,” Rep Bachman stated. Everything that can be shaken is shaken. Black is white and white is gray, and absolutes are obsolete. This world is groaning for the return of the Lord and the revelation of the Sons of Light!

But oh the mocking if one believes in a good God and a straight and narrow gate that leads to heaven or hell. Old-fashioned, maybe yes, but standing the test of time, the message of salvation through the blood of Jesus and living by a moral code enabled by the Holy Spirit will never go out of style. It may be ridiculed but will become of paramount importance when the rain begins to fall again. Hard times are not coming, they are here. But it’s just the beginning.

And just like Harvey, there will be those who will refuse to be prepared — refuse the message of salvation as the world grows darker and darker. There will be great persecution of those who believe, yet we are called to stand in the gap until then and for then.

We are the humanity of the earth. The rescuers. The human chains to lift the world above the floods to the safety of the ark. Our chain of humanity begins with fervent prayer and intercession that God will have mercy on us. That He will grant us a spirit of repentance for our sins, both collective and individual. That He will turn our faces to God and our knees to humble prayer.

I still believe we are living in the most glorious moment for the people of God and His kingdom. There are signs in the sky and earth as predicted in scripture, and these may grow even more severe. God is using these. He is shouting, “Come to the ark for safety. A storm is brewing.”

Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,she raises her voice in the public square;on top of the wall she cries out,at the city gate she makes her speech:

“How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?How long will mockers delight in mockeryand fools hate knowledge?Repent at my rebuke!Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,I will make known to you my teachings.But since you refuse to listen when I calland no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,since you disregard all my adviceand do not accept my rebuke,I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you;I will mock when calamity overtakes you—when calamity overtakes you like a storm,when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

“Then they will call to me but I will not answer;they will look for me but will not find me,since they hated knowledgeand did not choose to fear the Lord.Since they would not accept my adviceand spurned my rebuke,they will eat the fruit of their waysand be filled with the fruit of their schemes.For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,and the complacency of fools will destroy them;but whoever listens to me will live in safetyand be at ease, without fear of harm.” Proverbs 1:20=33

We will see the glory of God cover the earth as the waters cover the sea! I see a long human chain of rescuers on their knees around the world making a united cry for salvation and help. These are able to keep those who are unprepared from the violence and slaughter of calamity and eternal destruction. This human chain of prayer becomes longer and stronger as time passes. They become the warm hands and arms of tomorrow that may literally lift and rescue.

Hurricane Harvey is Wisdom shouting in the streets. There are two types of people in this world: Lifters and those that are lifted.

“When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. (2 Samuel 6:13).

Tears streamed down my face, and my legs shook as I listened to her story, describing the death — martyrdom — of her beloved husband. At age 14, I heard the account of Jim Elliot and four missionaries savagely killed in South America by a head-hunting tribe called the Auca Indians. Elisabeth Elliot, his widow, came to my home church, Calvary Temple in Denver, Colorado, to give her testimony. Her message of love, forgiveness, and sacrifice impacted my life. As Ms Elliot traveled across the states, hundreds, maybe thousands, dedicated their lives, like me, to serving God more fully at home and abroad.

Even as a teenager, I recognized the power and calling of God to surrender my life to His will. My immediate response to the Spirit’s beckoning was emotional, but my resolve was body, soul, and spirit — and remained firm. As I prepared through nurse’s training and Bible school, I never forgot this experience. Elisabeth Elliot’s story and the glimpse of God’s glory and love for mankind bloomed in my heart the day she spoke.

After Bible school, I went to Israel to live on a kibbutz. I felt the Lord leading me toward the Jewish people. I stayed two years and a half, attended language school, developed significant friendships, and learned to love the people of the MId-East both Arabs and Jews. After returning to the states, I married and adopted a baby girl. My husband became an elder in our local church, and together we longed to be used abroad to help reveal the Messiah to Jewish people.

During those years of equipping and waiting, we constantly asked the Lord, “What?” do you have for us beyond the local church, and “When?” will we be released? We desperately loved our congregation and community, yet we knew we had to be released one day. In 1996, our pastor and leadership team sent us with blessings to begin the first Messianic Jewish Bible Institute, a Bible school for Messianic believers in Yeshua to the former Soviet Union — Odessa, Ukraine. The flames of communism had gone underground, and teams carrying the Good News of salvation streamed into the country. Thousands began to turn their lives toward Him. It was harvest time! We finally realized the “What” and “When” of our calling.

What we did not prepare for was waiting upon the “How?” As we began to start the school, add students, and settle into the city with our calling, we hit wall after wall. The journey seemed like we were taking half a step forward and then five steps backwards. The spiritual warfare hit us like a tidal wave, and suddenly we were surrounded by many critics, nay-sayers, and a few sheep in wolves clothing — sometimes our own brethren. We felt betrayed and bewildered by the barrage of constant opposition. Still we pressed on, even maybe when we should have waited and asked God, “How should we proceed?” In reality, I think our zeal to enjoy the what and when overtook the impotance of how.

As I remember this journey today, I am reminded about David bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem in 2 Samuel 6. His intentions were pure and righteous, and his timing was in tune with the movement of the Holy Spirit. David heard God, but he did not wait to hear the how. That mistake cost time and human life. Uzzah died as the Ark began to be moved. It slipped — Uzzah grabbed the holy object that belong in the Holy of Holies as it teetered, and he fell to his death (2 Samuel 6:6-7). This happening brought the fear of God upon everyone.

You know the story. After this shocking event, David rested the Ark at Obed-Edom’s home for three months and then proceeded finally to Jerusalem. Only this time, the Levites carryed the Ark and moved only six steps at a time and then made sacrifices to the Lord. What an intensely and agonizingly slow journey, but as they obeyed God’s how, David danced and the people praised and shouted. The Ark finally arrived at its resting place with great victory and the sounds of horns blasting. The how became as significant as the what and when.

Sometimes the how causes us to move painfully slowly or stops us in mid-project as far as our human endeavors, but the purpose is to instill within us a healthly dose of God’s fear, which is the foundation of all wisdom as we begin to fulfill our destinies in the Lord’s will.

For more study…

Exodus 25:10-16, Exodus 26:34, Proverbs 10:27

Work it into daily life…

Seeking God’s perfect will for your life takes patient endurance. But sometime the greatest test comes when we finally discover those things but don’t wait to discover the how of our callings. God is always good and desires for us to prosper in His will; but as He works with us, we must fear His ways. Take time to wait on God for the hows of accomplishing His will, even if it seems you are taking only six steps forward. Praise him as David did with all his might for six steps that pleased God; make sacrifice before you continue. This patient fear of God will save you heartache in the long run.